Sir Gawain
and
the Green Knight
Background Notes

This poem intertwines three
traditional medieval plots:
◦ The beheading contest.
◦ The temptation of the hero.
◦ The exchange game.
Medieval Institutions

Feudalism:
◦ Political structure based on loyalty.:
God>King,>Lord> Knight>Vassal.
◦ If the chain is broken, then hope is broken,
ultimately leading to disorder, decay and
destruction.
◦ Poem looks back to the golden age of chivalry,
not in a state of decay.
◦ Sir Gawain exemplifies both the physical and
non-physical ideals of knighthood.
Feudalism cont.
Physical Ideals of
Knighthood (Prowess)
Non-Physical Ideas of
Knighthood
Strength
Skill
Horsemanship
Courage
Humility
Courtesy
Hot TiP!
In French cheval = horse & Chevalier = knight,
thus chivalry derives from a knight’s skill on
horseback.
Courtly Love
Courtly love developed partly out of the
medieval cult of Mary, which elevated
women.
 The object of love was to be worshipped
from afar as an ideal;
 love was suppose to be an ennobling
influence
 Only noble people were worthy of love.

Courtly love cont.

Several influences built up to acceptance of
courtly love:
◦ Marriages of convenience in the 8th & 16th centuries
made adultery a way of life.
◦ Men had shorter life spans than women.
◦ Women could inherit and thus gain control of wealth.
◦ Men went away, leaving women in control, as they
went to the Crusades to clear the holy land of
infidels, starting in 1095.
◦ The belief that the lady should be treated as infinitely
desirable was fostered by women and poets…
Think abouT iT…
The way of life portrayed in metrical
romances influences real expectations
and behavior.
Hmmmm….sound familiar?
How life is portrayed in movies, TV,
songs, INFLUENCES real expectations
and behavior.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s "king of the world" stunt in Titanic–in which
he spreads his arms and appears to be flying from the front of the
ship–led dozens of young men to risk their lives on cruise liners in
a bid to imitate him. The rash of mimics prompted the United
States Passenger Vessels’ Association to issue a "Titanic Alert" to its
members, urging them to close off the bow areas of ships. The alert
was no help for a Swedish woman, however, who was presumed
drowned after falling from a ferry while attempting to copy the
suicide attempt of Kate Winslet’s character. (The Daily Telegraph,
June 25, 1998)

A five-year-old set his baby sister’s bed ablaze with a cigarette lighter,
killing her and destroying his home. According to the boy’s mom, he got
the idea from MTV characters Beavis and Butt-head, who play with fire
and say things like "Fire is cool." In Ohio, three girls set a house on fire
while attempting to copy a scene in which Beavis (or possibly Butt-head)
sets fire to his buddy’s hair by igniting spray from an aerosol can. The
girls, however, used the technique to set clothing on fire, not hair, and
ended up burning the house. (Los Angeles Times, October 14, 1993)
The Genre: Medieval Romance
A tale of high adventure that can be a
religious crusade, a conquest for the knight’s liege
and lord or the rescue of a captive lady or
any combination of God, a goodly king and a
pretty girl.
The name “Romance”
The name “Romance” dirives from Old
French (the language in which
narrative was written), which is a
“Romance” language, which decended
from Latin, the language of the ancient
Romans.
Characteristics of a Romance

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Medieval romance usually idealizes chivalry
Idealizes the hero-knight and his noble deeds.
The knight’s love for his lady.
The settings tend to be imaginary and vague.
Medieval romance derives mystery and suspense from
supernatural elements.
Uses concealed or disguised identity.
Repetition of the mystical number “3” or multiples of 3.
Characteristics of the
Hero-Knight

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
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Birth of a great hero is shrouded in mystery.
He is reared away from his true home in ignorance of his real
parents.
For a time his true identity is unknown.
After meeting an extraordinary challenge, he claims his right
His triumph benefits his nation or group.
Your task for today
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
In your small groups, discuss the two values you
wrote in yesterday’s journal.
Share your evidence and take notes on others’ values
and evidence.
Within your group, rank all the values in order of
importance. No ties.
Create a set of 5 interview questions regarding other
values and why they were chosen.
Interview others
Report back.
Turn in your findings/notes on this task to Mrs.
Overfield. You will get these back tomorrow.
Cont.